1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to process control systems and, more particularly to a system and method for communicating between process control systems and semiconductor fabrication and manufacturing tools.
2. Brief Description of Related Developments
Traditionally, methods of gathering process data from manufacturing tools involve tapping signal lines between the tool and the tool controller, such as an equipment interface program, by multiplexing the industry standard SECS data interface between the tool controller and the tool. This multiplexing and tapping could affect the quality of the process data and interfere with the communication between the tool and tool controller.
While this tapping method worked to some degree with the standard 200 mm wafer fabrication, as the wafers being processed become larger and more expensive, faster and more accurate collecting of process data is now required which does not interfere with the transmission of the process data or inhibit automation activities. Furthermore, the data collection services must still facilitate the feedback of faults and process adjustments to the equipment interface system and the manufacturing tool.
Moreover, adding high speed data collection to process manufacturing tools has been a complex and disruptive procedure because of the limitations of the industry communication standard protocols, SECS, SECS II and GEM. Also, most of the engineering data collection systems use multiple communication modules which create many technical challenges. In addition, the use of proprietary communication formats for communication between the manufacturing tool and the process controller has limited the choice of software for advanced process control customers.
It would be helpful to have a simplified method of interfacing between the manufacturing tool and the advanced process control system which provides engineering data collection capability for manufacturing tool process control data without interfering with the communications between the process tools and the equipment interface machine.